The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Taraba state on Tuesday held its primary election in preparation to the forthcoming local government council polls through consensus.
The Publicity Secretary of state PDP, Inuwa Bakari, while speaking in Jalingo said in order to adhere to the Coronavirus social distancing directive, the PDP conducted its primaries through consensus.
The names of the PDP successful candidates were being prepared when this reporter visited the party’s headquarters.
Governor Darius Ishaku had relaxed the lockdown and other restrictions in the state in preparation for the election.
Bakari said the PDP primaries went without dispute or rancour.
He disclosed that Governor Ishaku who approved the consensus arrangement, had asked all the PDP stakeholders to go to their various constituencies and partake in the nomination, which he said went smoothly.
The PDP spokesman said that the PDP, being the ruling party in Taraba, will sweep all the seats of the chairmen and councilors in the 16 local government councils of the State.
It was gathered that most of the candidates for the chairmanship are serving caretakers of the councils.
“All our candidates for the local government chairmanship and councillorship elections emerged by consensus. You know, we were avoiding gathering crowds because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
“To get the consensus candidates, all the PDP stakeholders: senators, Houses of Reps and Assembly members, commissioners, Advisers and party officials participated in the exercise.
“Yet, the PDP under the chairmanship of Victor Bala, still asked delegates to go home and cast the ballots in line with the laid down procedures of conducting party primaries.
“While the exercise was ongoing, officials of the party and the electoral body were monitoring to ensure the exercise was legitimately carried out.
“With the primaries now successfully held, we (PDP) are prepared for the council elections,” Bakari said.
Chairman of the Taraba State Independent Electoral Commission (TSIEC), Philip Duwe, has fixed June 30 as date for the local government council polls.
Duwe in a statement said TSIEC will begin the sales of forms tomorrow and end June 20, While screening of candidates submitted by political party for the election will take place on June 21st and 22nd and Election campaign will end on June 29.
